Posted by: Fred ||
10/29/2008 7:38 Comments ||
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#5
That Dunne it for me!
Posted by: Mike ||
10/29/2008 9:55 Comments ||
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#6
My mother was in a maternity hospital, giving birth to me, in 1946. Aubrey Meadows was in the same room with her. Irene Dunn was one of the people that came to visit. Mom has a baby book full of autographs, but she didn't remember to write down any information about Ms. Meadows' child that was born the same day I was...
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
10/29/2008 14:36 Comments ||
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KABUL, Afghanistan — Insurgents used two Afghan children as shields while they attempted to emplace IEDs in a road in Farah province Oct. 18. (photo at site)
U.S. Marines with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment were conducting counter IED operations along a route in Golestan to ensure the safe passage of civilian traffic and ground convoys when they observed four insurgents attempting to emplace an IED in the road.
Initially the Marines observed four adults and two children in a truck laden with burlap sacks and shovels. The adults began digging holes. Once the burlap sacks were removed from the truck and opened, the Marines were able to see IED materiel in the sacks and that the holes being dug in the road were for IEDs.
Marine snipers shot two of the positively identified insurgents as they emplaced an IED. After the initial shots were fired, the other two insurgents grabbed the two children they had brought with them and held them in front of them to use them as shields.
The Marines waited until the children were let go and ran away before snipers shot the remaining two insurgents. The children fled in the direction of a mosque and were unharmed.
“We know that the insurgents often display a blatant disregard for civilian life. They frequently attempt to exploit our adherence to the rule of law. Unfortunately for them, our Marines are well trained in positively identifying targets before engaging them,” said Colonel Peter Petronzio, commanding officer for the Interim Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force - Afghanistan.
#3
Why didn't someone get a VIDEO or PICTURE of the brave Lions of Islam cowering behind children?
This should be on the cover of every newspaper.
But then, as I recall, the Lions of Islam did much the same thing in the Philippines a few years ago AND THERE WERE ACTUAL PICTURES of them walking out of a church surrounded by children - but the MSM refused to carry the story.
US troops killed 12 Taliban to secure a Black Hawk helicopter shot down by Taliban insurgents in central Afghanistan, the US military said in a statement on Tuesday. The chopper had to land on Monday in the Wardak province to the west of Kabul, after a rocket-propelled grenade struck its tail, the statement said. The aircraft and the crew of ten were recovered safely, it said, adding the coalition forces responding to the attack killed 12 Taliban and detained one. Taliban are rarely able to bring down helicopters in Afghanistan, but have forced aircraft to make a number of emergency landings. There are roughly 60,000-70,000 international soldiers in the country helping Afghan forces fight Taliban.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/29/2008 00:00 ||
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Link ||
[2 views]
Top|| File under: Taliban
#1
Might want to consider faking our own downings - if fired on, pop some smoke and land abruptly, then 'bunny hunt those who come calling.
#2
I like the idea of planting remote controlled charges in downed birds and when the 'Chopper-Swarm' materializes, KAPOWIE!
Think of it as a SIED (Sikorsky Improvised Explosive Device)
#3
Look Achmed!!! We shot that Blackhawk down!! But Mohamed!!! Wise Somali man say shooting down blackhawk like hitting hornets nest. We in for big fight.
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
10/29/2008 15:52 Comments ||
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#4
Glenmore: Might want to consider faking our own downing - if fired on, pop some smoke and land abruptly, then 'bunny hunt those who come calling.
Love that idea Glenmore.
Americans have done many kool variations on this ruse through out our history at war.
What a sweet Death Trap tho.. LOL...
Picture 100 Flea-Bitten Seedy Bastards, all dressed in Man-Dress Uniforms. Each clamoring in to kill our men and women and blow up and burn our prearrainged junked piece of equipment; BAIT Chopper, IOW.
SURPRISE SURPRISE SURPRISE SURPRISE SURPRISE
TOT- Pre-Registered 155 mm.
TWO A-10s on hand for each mission (minimum)
Batting Clean-Up: AC-130H Spectre Gunships
~:)
Posted by: Red Dawg ||
10/29/2008 18:47 Comments ||
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Two UN staff were among dozens killed when suicide bombers struck in northern Somalia.
The compound of the United Nations Development Programme in Hargeisa, capital of the semi-autonomous enclave of Somaliland, were hit first in a series of five explosions, which killed at least 22 people and injured dozens more
Soon after, there were further explosions at the city's electoral commission offices, the presidential palace and the Ethiopian embassy, were there were reports of "catastrophic damage" and multiple casualties.
At the same time, two buildings used by the intelligence service - including its headquarters - in neighbouring Puntland were hit by either a suicide bomber or an improvised explosive device.
It was unclear who was behind the blasts, but they came as leaders of Somalia's Western-backed transitional government met regional heads of state for talks in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.
Islamist hardliners opposed to that government and its Ethiopian backers are running an Iraq-style insurgency in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu. Analysts suggested that the Hargeisa bombings could have been carried out to disrupt the Nairobi talks.
Somaliland and Puntland, both breakaway states in northern Somalia which are lobbying for recognition as independent nations, have been largely untouched by the violence sweeping southern Somalia.
However, Puntland has become increasingly dangerous for foreigners due to a wave of kidnappings. Many of the pirate groups targeting ships passing through the Gulf of Aden are also based there.
Among the victims in Somaliland was President Dahir Riyale Kahin's secretary who died in one of the blast, but the president was not hurt. Mr Kahin said in a radio broadcast that it was too early to tell who was behind the attacks.
A witness, Ismail Mohamed, 22, said people were screaming and begging for help after the blast at the presidential palace. "It was a horrendous scene. I had to leave to spare myself this ugliness. It is a woeful day," he said.
The UN confirmed that its compound was hit by a suicide car bomb. "There are known casualties as well as deaths, but the numbers are currently being verified," said Dawn Elizabeth Blalock, a UN spokesman.
Posted by: ed ||
10/29/2008 18:49 ||
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MANAMA (AFP) — A number of ships off Somalia have thwarted attacks by pirates this week, the US-led Combined Maritime Force -- which is charged with securing the dangerous Gulf of Aden passage -- said on Wednesday.
Five attacks on Tuesday were unsuccessful "as a result of proactive measures taken by masters and crews" of the merchant vessels, said a statement from the force's headquarters at the US Fifth Fleet base in Bahrain. The ships conducted evasive manoeuvring and used fire hoses to repel the pirates, the statement added, noting that attackers fired shots during two of the assaults.
"The proactive measures taken yesterday by merchant vessels are exactly what we have been recommending," said force commander Vice Admiral Bill Gortney. The statement did not say if five ships had been targeted, or whether there was more than one assault on a single vessel. It also did not identify any of the targeted ships.
The International Maritime Bureau said 63 of 199 piracy incidents recorded worldwide in the first nine months of this year were in waters off Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden.
In addition to coalition naval forces, NATO warships and ships and aircraft from several other nations have been deployed in the region to protect commercial shipping. The statement said that for around two months, the coalition has been working with the shipping industry and the International Maritime Organisation to recommend effective self-protection measures.
Separately, a Spanish warplane used smoke bombs to deter pirates from boarding a Panama-flagged oil tanker on Tuesday.
#1
A description of one attack. From Information Dissemination...
To inform you of events that took place today. Situation: Vessel was under full lockdown with anti-piracy lookout posted on both bridge wings night and day and navigating in Gulf of Aden safety corridor.
First attack took place at 08:00 in posn 13-26N, 48-27E. Three high speed craft approached with direct intent from port side 45degrees off the bow.
Interesting was that 2 were the typical white type but the centre and forward attack vessel was actually a Yemeni skiff fitted with large outboard engine and was being used as a screen to mask the other two craft. I called the company on the telephone, I made evasive maneuvers, mayday call on vhf, mustered all in our security muster station (conference room) and kept 3/O on the bridge with a helmsman. We came under automatic small arms fire targeted at the bridge. No damage or injuries. I was also sounding the air horn whilst making S-turns and calling Mayday on VHF16. After about 10min the attackers gave up chase and stopped and re-grouped. We escaped. When I was sure the situation was under control I debriefed the crew to calm them and assured them we would remain on high alert.
The 2nd attack was more serious and came at 15:00 in posn 12-54N, 46-40E where 3 fast attack boats were seen departing from a mother ship fishing vessel white in colour. I set off the Ship Security Alert System [SSAS]. The boats were same as in the photos sent out being white and had 4 men in each. I immediately called Mayday on vhf, mustered crew in safe place and was again fired upon by automatic small arms fire but with more aggression lasting about 5 minutes into the accom block. Fortunately a coalition warship (Spanish Navy) heard my mayday call and responded by sending out a Russian (Spanish?) aircraft to our scene which was patrolling the area. I was told 20min until it arrived but we were actually being fired upon at the time. The fire was a lot more intense than the morning attack. I maintained S-turns but was unable to determine visually if we had been boarded or not due to the amount of fire coming in.
I maintained mayday calls and was assured by the Spanish warship on vhf that 10min to help. The attackers were then seen to yield, re-group then re-attack. I was contacted by the aircraft to tell me he had me in sight and would be there in a few minutes. I was very happy to see the echo on my radar of the inbound aircraft. The pirates were within 100m when the small fixed wing Russian (Spanish?) bomber arrived and gave a very low passing. The pirates yielded. The aircraft then proceeded to drop ordinance on them (smoke bombs?). The situation became safe very quickly with the bomber in attendance. About 20min later a French attack helicopter arrived to check our situation was under control and we alerted him as to the estimated position of the pirate mother ship. I thanked them and made communications with the office and UK MTO commanding forces to inform all ok and debrief.
The danger here is absolutely real. I will be in Red Sea in 12hrs time and clear of the hazardous area. Except for some paint being damaged by gunfire, we are fine and have no damage or injuries at this time.
#2
Seriously, those commercial ships sailing by the Somali coast should arm themselves with real guns. They should use rpg's - just in the same way the pirates use. Blow the pirates up, and show no mercy!!! By the way, where is that Russian destroyer that was on its way to "solve" the problem with the hijacked Ukranian arms cargo vessel?
#3
I wonder how Admiralty law treats contract anti-piracy operations? Specifically, why doesn't Lloyd's have a claims mitigation fund to retain and set bounty/bonus reserves for something akin to a "Blackwater Naval Force" to patrol the area.
Clearly, the merchantmen are up to the task of identification and navigation, so it seems they either arm up, or sail under escort.
Unless a "Somali" navy appears, this seems to be a case for letters of marque and reprisal, or their private counterpart.
Massive explosions targeting military forces in southwestern Somali region have killed three military officers and injured 10 others.
The blast on Tuesday destroyed a house in Beled Hawo, second largest city in Gedo region near the Kenyan border, where the officers were attending a meeting, Press TV correspondent in Mogadishu reported.
The officers from Mareehan clan were planning to launch an offensive aimed at recapturing the strategic Kismayu town, partly controlled by anti-government rebels, he said.
No group has claimed responsibility for the latest attack on military forces.
Beled Hawo is frequently plagued by insurgent attacks against Somali government force and their Ethiopian military allies.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/29/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Islamic Courts
#1
Where are the anti-government forces being funded, armed and supplied from? Both geographically and politically?
#2
#1 Where are the anti-government forces being funded, armed and supplied from? Both geographically and politically?
We've discussed that several times here on Rantburg, Glenmore. The money is coming from Iran, China and Saudi Arabia, it's being filtered through Yemen, Eritrea, and Sudan, and it's being supported by people from all over Africa and the Muddled East. China's in it because they've made a conscious decision to be involved with every country in Africa that has, or might have, oil. They also want to reduce or eliminate any US presence or position in Africa, as they attempt to reserve the continent's mineral wealth for their own use. Unfortunately, most of the US government is so obtuse they don't see these things, or refuse to acknowledge them if they do see them.
There will come a time when the only way the US continues to survive is to get rid of everyone currently in government office AT ANY LEVEL, and start over. Too many government bureaucrats confuse personal preference and individual power with what's best for the nation, and it's killing us.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
10/29/2008 15:42 Comments ||
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China on Tuesday condemned the killing of five kidnapped Chinese oil workers in Sudan and described it as as an "inhumane terrorist" act. "We express strong indignation and condemnation for the inhumane terrorist deed of the kidnappers in killing these unarmed workers," Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told reporters.
Sudan's government said Darfur rebels on Monday shot and killed five kidnapped Chinese oil workers and that two others escaped with gunshot wounds.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu expressed "pained grief and condolences" for their families and said President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao had told the ministry to do all it could to ensure the safe return of the missing men. "China treasures its friendship with Sudan ... We also ask that Sudan, while ensuring the safety of our missing personnel, make all-out rescue efforts," Jiang told a news conference in Beijing.
She also urged Sudan to "adopt all beneficial steps to ensure the safety of lives and property of Chinese personnel in Sudan". This was the third such kidnapping in the energy-producing state of South Kordofan in the past year, marking an escalation of risk in the region where China has a big stake.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/29/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Govt of Sudan
#1
I'm not sure it is a good idea to p*ss on China like this. They may not show the same level of self-restraint as Europe or even the US. Of course an incident like this might be their equivalent of the Gulf of Tonkin incident for us.
A Canadian man has been found guilty of designing the detonators for a thwarted al-Qaeda attack on the Bluewater shopping centre and Ministry of Sound nightclub in Britain.
Mohammed Momin Khawaja flew to Britain to show his device, the "hi-fi digimonster," to the cell based in Crawley, West Sussex.
But the terrorists were already under surveillance and bugged recordings heard the men discussing targeting the shopping centre in Kent or the central London nightclub.
Police later discovered they had stored half a ton of ammonium nitrate for the bomb in a lock-up in north-west London.
The rest of the gang, led by Omar Khyam, were convicted last year and yesterday a judge in Ontario, Canada, also found Khawaja guilty. He will be sentenced in late November. Rest at link. Khawaja's father is a real PoS too.
Posted by: ed ||
10/29/2008 18:43 ||
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Spanish police on Tuesday detained four alleged members of the armed Basque separatist group ETA who are suspected of planning an attack in the country's north, the Interior Ministry said.
The suspects -- a woman and three men -- were found in possession of arms and explosives. Police believe they were planning an attack in the Navarra region, Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba said. "Those detained had arms and explosives, which means we are dealing with a cell that was about to attack," Rubalcaba during a news conference in Parliament. Authorities say. The police operation early Tuesday prevented "a great deal of pain and suffering," Rubalcaba said. The police also seized guns, explosives, timers, detonators and computer equipment in the Pamplona raid, the ministry said in a statement.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/29/2008 00:00 ||
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A Mamoond tribal jirga in Bajaur Agency on Tuesday decided the Taliban would not be allowed to enter their areas.
The jirga took this decision as tribal elders from 10 villages assured the Mamoond tribes that they would support their efforts for restoring peace in the region. The jirga also decided to set up checkposts to stop the Taliban from entering their areas.
Meanwhile, the Frontier Corps (FC) arrested four Taliban and a Taliban commander during an operation in the Mohmand Agency.
Major Farooq, a spokesman of the FC in the agency, told reporters that the FC seized three Kalashnikovs, a hand grenade, a mobile phone and a dagger from the Taliban. A Taliban commander, Muhammad Jamal, was also arrested.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/29/2008 00:00 ||
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[4 views]
Top|| File under: TTP
#1
Having said that, can/will they enforce it? Other jurgas who have mouthed the words have ended up as a bunch of old, dead guys, so they had better have a plan. Like maybe the cell phone number of a strong (and trustworthy) big brother. Are there any such? For how much longer?
Four Taliban were killed in fighting with security forces in Bajaur Agency, Dawn News reported on Tuesday. According to the channel, an indefinite curfew remains in the neighbouring Mohmand Agency where security forces were targeting militant bases in Mohmand and Charmung area with heavy artillery and mortar shells.
Separately, the channel said that the authorities had set up village police in Lower Dir to improve low and order in the district. The process of establishing the local police was completed on Tuesday with the distribution of certificates among around 450 volunteers during a ceremony in the Timergarah area, the channel added. It reported the Lower Dir district police officer saying that the village police would conduct joint patrolling along with regular police in different areas of the district.
Girls' school: NNI reported that unidentified men blew up a girls' school with explosives in Swat as an operation against the Taliban entered a second day.
Sources said helicopter gunships were also used in the operation and curfew remained in force. According to the ISPR Media Centre in Swat, no casualty was reported in the incident.
APP reported that the father and brother of key Taliban commander Ibn-e-Aman sustained critical injuries in a bloody clash with security forces in Matta in Swat.
Local Taliban in the Orakzai Agency have agreed to lay down arms, demolish training camps and expel foreign fighters, including Uzbeks and Arabs, from their respective areas, according to Dawn News.
A Mamozai tribal elder told the channel that local Taliban could stay in the area if they gave assurance of good conduct.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/29/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: TTP
#1
unidentified men blew up a girls' school with explosives in Swat
Every time they blow up a girls school two of their madrassas should have major 'training accidents' and turn into piles of rubble. Er, rubbley-er rubble.
Baghdad - US forces handed over on Wednesday the security file of Wassit province to Iraq's security forces amid celebrations. Wassit is the thirteenth province to take over responsibility for security operations from the US forces. Wassit is located some 170 kilometres southeast of Baghdad.
US forces still control the Iraqi Capital of Baghdad and four other northern provinces.
Celebrations took place in a sports stadium with the participation of hundreds of security forces members and government representatives.
#1
If troops are out coinciding with ohbama's timeline it is because of the hard work to achieve these milestones - not because the freshman was right (pulling out no matter what).
#2
I still think that if Obama wins, Iraq should renounce the SOFA and ask the US military to leave by Jan. 1. This is the only way that both Iraq and the US military can be protected from Obama and his "brain trust", from sabotaging the occupation to force a loss, at the loss of thousands of Iraqi and US lives.
#3
If "Renegade" (Obama's Secret Service code name) wins Iraq will be forgotten almost immediately and Afghanistan will be shuffled off for NATO to resolve. His 2012 campaign will herald his success at bringing peace and salvation to both regions. Africa will become his Cause Celeb soon after his inauguration. He'll fly the wings off of Air Force One attending African and European summits, while O'Biden, Poloosi, Franks, and Reid run the farm.
(AKI) - Turkish warplanes bombed suspected Kurdish separatist strongholds in northern Iraq on Tuesday, the army said on its website.
The jets targeted suspects linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in the Hakurk, Avasin-Basyan and Zap regions of northern Iraq. "The planes returned safely to base after successfully completing their mission," the army said.
No civilians have been struck during the raids.
Violence has increased between Turkish security forces and the separatist PKK rebels in recent weeks. Turkey has stepped up its military response since an attack by the PKK which killed 17 Turkish soldiers earlier this month. The Turkish Parliament also renewed a mandate to allow military raids on separatists in northern Iraq.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/29/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
No civilians have been struck during the raids
Glad the Turks have so much better aim then we do.(sarc)
#4
I have the same feeling about the A-1E, USNRet. Loiter all day, carry everything but the kitchen sink, and put rockets down on the EDGE of a dime.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
10/29/2008 15:52 Comments ||
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#5
"...carry everything but the kitchen sink,..."
Then you have undoubtedly seen the pictures of the dreaded USN Toilet Bomb from the Viet Nam days, right?
i think it was VA-176 strapped a commode to the rack of one of their Spads and took it downtown.
BTW i have a pix of a Spad w/ one of our A-6s shot during Flight of the Intruder movie shoot if'n you want it.
Aswat al-Iraq: Iraqi security forces on Tuesday arrested two wanted men and defused a car bomb in separate incidents in Mosul, the official spokesman for the Ninewa operations command said.
"Police arrested a wanted man in al-Matahen neighborhood in southern Mosul," Brigadier Khaled Abdul Sattar told Aswat a-Iraq, noting that he is a member of al-Qaeda's Islamic state in Iraq.
"Another police force arrested a wanted man in al-Rashidiya region in northern Mosul,: Abdul Sattar added.
"Anti-bomb squad managed to defuse a car bomb in Talkief district in north of Mosul without casualties," he continued. "The forces also found a weapons depot in al-Beaaj district in west of Mosul," he said, without giving more details.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/29/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Islamic State of Iraq
(AKI) - Unidentified gunmen killed four newly-recruited policemen and injured four others during a shooting on Tuesday in the Iraqi city of Mosul. The policemen were intercepted by gunmen and showered with bullets as they were travelling by car in the Hay al-Amil neighbourhood, located in western Mosul. The gunmen managed to escape.
They were all on their way to report to their unit in the al-Shahid Saleh contingent, reported Iraqi news agency Voices of Iraq quoting security officials.
Also on Tuesday, two improvised explosive devices or IED were set off in central Baghdad, leaving 7 civilians wounded.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/29/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Iraqi Insurgency
In the first case of its kind, an Iraqi judge Tuesday convicted an Iraqi man of abducting, torturing and killing two American soldiers in the summer of 2006. Ibrahim Karim Muhammed Salih al-Qaraghuli was found guilty and sentenced to death, after expert testimony that his fingerprints matched photos of bloody prints found on the front panel of the pickup truck used to drag the soldiers, Pfc. Kristian Menchaca and Pfc. Thomas Tucker.
Citing lack of evidence, Judge Munther Raouf Haadi acquitted Qaraghuli's two co-defendants.
Insurgents abducted Menchaca and Tucker on June 16, 2006, while the two soldiers were manning a checkpoint in Yusufiya, a village south of Baghdad. Their bodies were tied to the back of a pickup truck and dragged through town. One of the soldiers was beheaded.
The case marked the first time an Iraqi investigative judge filed charges in the slaying of American soldiers.
Col. Rafael Lara Jr., the chief of a U.S. military task force advising Iraqi court officials, said he was disappointed by the acquittals but satisfied by the way the case was handled. "I'm very pleased to see the Iraqi judiciary exercise discretion and the rules of procedure," he said. "Iraqi courts have taken a good step today."
The proceeding cast a spotlight on the Iraqi court system, which has come under scrutiny in recent weeks as Iraqi and American officials have argued over whether Iraq should have the right to prosecute U.S. soldiers under certain circumstances as part of a yet-to-be-signed agreement regarding the presence of American troops in Iraq after 2008.
In Iraq's legal system, investigative judges interview witnesses, collect evidence and issue arrest warrants. A three-judge panel acts as the American equivalent of a presiding judge and jury. The prosecutor assists with the investigation but plays a largely passive role during the proceeding. Defendants are appointed lawyers.
Haadi read summaries of statements from a half-dozen witnesses. One had died since he was interviewed; the rest ignored summons to appear in court.
The statements included somewhat contradictory accounts about the defendants and the abductions. The men who dragged the soldiers through streets wore hoods, according to the witness statements. Nevertheless, some witnesses said they were able to identify some of the defendants.
U.S. officials said they found DNA evidence on a head scarf recovered from the crime scene that tied a second defendant to the crime. But the DNA evidence was not addressed during the proceeding because Iraqi judicial officials didn't want to use an American DNA expert and were unable to find an Iraqi expert, American advisers said.
After issuing his verdict, Haadi ordered the other two defendants, Whalid Khalid Daydan Ibrahim al-Kartani and Kazim Fadhil Jasim Harbi al-Zowbai released immediately.
Tucker and Menchaca were with the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division. Spc. David Babineau, a third soldier who was with them when they were abducted, was fatally shot on the spot. U.S. military officials found the two soldiers' bodies three days later. They were laden with explosives.
U.S. military officials have released thousand of detainees in their custody in recent months. When the U.N. security resolution that allows American officials to detain Iraqis without formally charging them expires at the end of the year, U.S. officials intend to hand over most of their detainees to the Iraqi government.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/29/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Iraqi Insurgency
#1
It's war. Abducting is 'ok', and killing is 'ok', but torturing and killing the abductees is not.
Aswat al-Iraq: Iraqi security forces on Tuesday arrested 180 suspects and seized quantities of weapons in Basra, a police source said. "A joint army and police forces conducted a large-scale operation in Basra, capturing 44 suspecting including a Pakistani entered Iraq illegally through Safwan border road, 60 km west Basra," The Media office for Basra police told Aswat al-Iraq. "Forces nabbed 136 suspects in different parts of Basra,"the source added.
Basra media office highlighted the forces "seized three rockets with wires prepared for launching in al-Zubair district, 35 km west Basra along with 120mm-claibre mortar rounds and three pistols".
"24 vehicles and 26 motorcycles without official papers were captured," the source added.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/29/2008 00:00 ||
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[3 views]
Top|| File under: Iraqi Insurgency
#1
Bill Roggio has a lot more on this story.
http://www.longwarjournal.org/
A bombing at government office in Yala municipality in Thailand's southernmost province Wednesday morning left at least two soldiers wounded, and seven local residents, including shoppers and vendors at an open air fresh market near the gate, being sent to hospital.
The Yala police department bomb squad and other security personnel rushed to the scene after an apparently home-made device exploded at the entrance gate of the Yala Highways Department in Kwangwichian Road. All the wounded and injured were sent to a local hospital for emergency treatment.
Responding authorities disconnected mobile telephone signals in the area for fear that the attackers would use the explosian as a bait tactic to draw police to the first bomb and detonate another, larger bomb, as has been done in varied previous bomb incidents. Pieces of a mobile phone and bomb fragments were scattered around the scene.
Witnesses said a male teenager was identified as the likely bombing suspect who placed the explosive device at the gate. Police believe that at least two people were involved, and the bomb was detonated by mobile phone. Footage from CCTV cameras in the area are being used to investigate and find clues regarding the attackers which were presumed to be insurgents.
The attack took place one day after Prime Minsiter Somchai Wongsawat paid his first visit to the southernmost provinces since taking office September. After the visit, Mr. Somchai affirmed the government's policy to tackle violence was on the right track. He said the government was paying close attention to the problems in the southern region as the local population there contiunued to suffer from the violence. He said urgent priorities in the troubled southern provinces were improving allowance for security officials, upgrading their equipment, improving education and shoring up the price of rubber, the south's key crop.
The Tamil Tigers' air wing set a power station ablaze in the Sri Lankan capital and hit an army base on Tuesday in separate air raids, the military said. The bombing runs were the eighth and ninth raids by the Liberation Tiger of Tamil Eelam's (LTTE) ramshackle air force of single-engine propeller-driven planes, which have bedeviled the Sri Lankan military since first striking in March 2007.
Tuesday's first attack hit Thalladi military camp about 250 km (150 miles) north of Colombo in Mannar district, causing minor damage and injuring one soldier, military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara said.
Soon after, radar picked up an unidentified aircraft heading south over the Indian Ocean toward Colombo. The city was plunged into darkness after power was switched off as a precaution, jets were scrambled and air defenses activated.
"At around 1130 (2 p.m. EDT), an LTTE light aircraft came into Colombo and dropped bombs at Kelanitissa power station. Anti-aircraft guns were activated. There is some fire in the area and firefighters have been sent there," Nanayakkara said.
Shortly after the lights went out, the sound of anti-aircraft guns thundered from Colombo's shoreline, and people stood in the streets to watch.
Nanayakkara said it was not clear whether the raids were carried out by one plane or two.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/29/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
They didn't watch their radar screens until after the attack? The article is not clear.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
US troops killed 12 Taliban to secure a Black Hawk helicopter shot down by Taliban insurgents in central Afghanistan, the US military said in a statement on Tuesday. The chopper had to land on Monday in the Wardak province to the west of Kabul, after a rocket-propelled grenade struck its tail, the statement said. The aircraft and the crew of ten were recovered safely, it said, adding the coalition forces responding to the attack killed 12 Taliban and detained one. Taliban are rarely able to bring down helicopters in Afghanistan, but have forced aircraft to make a number of emergency landings. There are roughly 60,000-70,000 international soldiers in the country helping Afghan forces fight Taliban.
Massive explosions targeting military forces in southwestern Somali region have killed three military officers and injured 10 others. 
Spanish police on Tuesday detained four alleged members of the armed Basque separatist group ETA who are suspected of planning an attack in the country's north, the Interior Ministry said. 
A Mamoond tribal jirga in Bajaur Agency on Tuesday decided the Taliban would not be allowed to enter their areas.
Four Taliban were killed in fighting with security forces in Bajaur Agency, Dawn News reported on Tuesday. According to the channel, an indefinite curfew remains in the neighbouring Mohmand Agency where security forces were targeting militant bases in Mohmand and Charmung area with heavy artillery and mortar shells. 
Baghdad - US forces handed over on Wednesday the security file of Wassit province to Iraq's security forces amid celebrations. Wassit is the thirteenth province to take over responsibility for security operations from the US forces. Wassit is located some 170 kilometres southeast of Baghdad. 
Iraqi authorities have taken over responsibility for security in another province from US military forces.
(AKI) - Turkish warplanes bombed suspected Kurdish separatist strongholds in northern Iraq on Tuesday, the army said on its website. 
Aswat al-Iraq: Iraqi security forces on Tuesday arrested two wanted men and defused a car bomb in separate incidents in Mosul, the official spokesman for the Ninewa operations command said.
(AKI) - Unidentified gunmen killed four newly-recruited policemen and injured four others during a shooting on Tuesday in the Iraqi city of Mosul. The policemen were intercepted by gunmen and showered with bullets as they were travelling by car in the Hay al-Amil neighbourhood, located in western Mosul. The gunmen managed to escape.
In the first case of its kind, an Iraqi judge Tuesday convicted an Iraqi man of abducting, torturing and killing two American soldiers in the summer of 2006. Ibrahim Karim Muhammed Salih al-Qaraghuli was found guilty and sentenced to death, after expert testimony that his fingerprints matched photos of bloody prints found on the front panel of the pickup truck used to drag the soldiers, Pfc. Kristian Menchaca and Pfc. Thomas Tucker. 
Aswat al-Iraq: Iraqi security forces on Tuesday arrested 180 suspects and seized quantities of weapons in Basra, a police source said. "A joint army and police forces conducted a large-scale operation in Basra, capturing 44 suspecting including a Pakistani entered Iraq illegally through Safwan border road, 60 km west Basra," The Media office for Basra police told Aswat al-Iraq. "Forces nabbed 136 suspects in different parts of Basra,"the source added.
A bombing at government office in Yala municipality in Thailand's southernmost province Wednesday morning left at least two soldiers wounded, and seven local residents, including shoppers and vendors at an open air fresh market near the gate, being sent to hospital.
The Tamil Tigers' air wing set a power station ablaze in the Sri Lankan capital and hit an army base on Tuesday in separate air raids, the military said. The bombing runs were the eighth and ninth raids by the Liberation Tiger of Tamil Eelam's (LTTE) ramshackle air force of single-engine propeller-driven planes, which have bedeviled the Sri Lankan military since first striking in March 2007.
